Weinberg E D
Indiana University, Bloomington 47405, USA.
Emerg Infect Dis. 1999 May-Jun;5(3):346-52. doi: 10.3201/eid0503.990305.
Iron is an oxidant as well as a nutrient for invading microbial and neoplastic cells. Excessive iron in specific tissues and cells (iron loading) promotes development of infection, neoplasia, cardiomyopathy, arthropathy, and various endocrine and possibly neurodegenerative disorders. To contain and detoxify the metal, hosts have evolved an iron withholding defense system, but the system can be compromised by numerous factors. An array of behavioral, medical, and immunologic methods are in place or in development to strengthen iron withholding. Routine screening for iron loading could provide valuable information in epidemiologic, diagnostic, prophylactic, and therapeutic studies of emerging infectious diseases.
铁既是一种氧化剂,也是入侵的微生物和肿瘤细胞的一种营养物质。特定组织和细胞中的铁过量(铁过载)会促进感染、肿瘤形成、心肌病、关节病以及各种内分泌疾病甚至可能是神经退行性疾病的发展。为了控制金属并使其解毒,宿主进化出了一种铁扣留防御系统,但该系统可能会受到多种因素的影响。一系列行为、医学和免疫学方法已经存在或正在研发中,以加强铁扣留。对铁过载进行常规筛查可为新发传染病的流行病学、诊断、预防和治疗研究提供有价值的信息。